Asahi Kasei will launch the fabric sewing operation for airbags at its Vietnamese subsidiary Asahi Kasei Advance Vietnam in 2020. With this investment, the technology group enters the next stage of the value chain in the airbag industry.

 The Japanese technology group Asahi Kasei announced the start of fabric sewing operations for airbags at its Vietnamese subsidiary Asahi Kasei Advance Vietnam for March 2020. The capacity will be incrementally raised to 2.5 million pieces per year until 2022, followed by a second increase to 5 million pieces per year in the coming years.

The Asahi Kasei Group supplies airbag manufacturers with yarn made of Leona™ PA 66 filament and has invested in a weaver that manufactures airbag fabric. Entry into the airbag fabric sewing business marks an expansion of Asahi Kasei’s airbag-related business and a step-up in the value chain.

Vehicle airbags are a major application of Leona™ PA 66 filament, and continuing growth is forecasted as vehicle production rises in Asia. At the same time the number of airbags per vehicle increases – with safety requirements become tighter worldwide. In addition, it is expected that with the advancing CASE (Connected – Autonomous – Shared – Electric) megatrends and the associated transformation of vehicle interiors, the design of airbags will undergo a lasting change. With its wide range of products and services for the airbag industry, Asahi Kasei can react quickly and flexibly to changing customer wishes and requirements.